BGSU's Changing Lives for the World Campaign is built around four key priorities, reflecting the breadth of our mission and the depth of our commitment to act in the public interest and create public good.
From the start, Bowling Green State University has changed lives for students from all walks of life. However, in the face of changing student demographics, declining family incomes and strained state budgets, private support is paramount. To meet a clearly escalating need — both in the number of students served and the amount of support needed — private support is needed for:
Students often must make their final university choice based on cost — often a $1,000-$3,000 scholarship award package is the deciding factor. Scholarships help to bridge the gap between cost of attendance and families' resources, thus removing this financial obstacle for students.
These awards, such as the Alumni Laureate Scholarships and the Trustee Scholarship, allow BGSU to compete for exceptionally talented and motivated students. As more universities compete for fewer students, these scholarships provide a competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace.
Athletic scholarships reward outstanding student-athletes for their hard work, and allow the University to increase the competitiveness of its sports teams. Private support for athletic scholarships will make a lasting impact on student-athletes by providing the financial resources necessary to build champions for life.
Attracting and retaining talented and success-oriented students is a key initiative of the College of Musical Arts, and scholarships allow the college to recruit top high school students throughout Ohio and the country.
Competitive financial packages are necessary to recruit outstanding graduate students who generate knowledge, attract top faculty and play a critical role as teachers and mentors to undergraduate students.
Time and again, students from Bowling Green State University talk about faculty who change lives – dedicated and passionate teachers and coaches who inspire and mentor their students in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence. Support for chairs and professorships allows BGSU to recruit and retain faculty who are leaders in their fields. Private support is the key to attracting and retaining the best and brightest with:
Endowed Professorships and Chairs
The most effective way to attract and retain gifted faculty, endowed professorships support faculty salaries and provide resources for research and scholarly activities. This, in turn, raises the level of academic engagement throughout the University and makes BGSU a top choice for the best faculty and students.
Endowed Coaching and Leadership Positions
With private support for leadership positions, the University can ensure that students benefit from the expertise and experience of visionary chairs and directors in top-rated programs. Similarly, BGSU's highly successful Athletics programs are in intense competition to recruit and retain inspiring coaches who lead student-athletes to success on the field of play and in life.
Endowed Visiting Lecturers and Series
The BGSU community is further enriched when students and faculty have the opportunity to interact with leading scholars, artists and entrepreneurs from across the country.
A critical component to a robust Bowling Green State University community is continual improvement to the physical campus. The quality of academic, research, athletic and recreational facilities sets the tone for institutional excellence and requires ongoing capital investments that surpass the resources the state of Ohio can provide. Private support will provide the measure of difference for the University's campus master plan, which features key areas:
Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center
The College of Business is poised for a new era of excellence with a curriculum responsive to changing values in the business world, interactive learning opportunities, and connecting students to the best career opportunities. Building a new facility for the college is an important next step in the ongoing transformation of the University's educational programs. The Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center will serve as a special gateway to the academic core of the BGSU campus.
This new facility houses the School of Media and Communication. With video and audio production suites, a media effects lab and media convergence lab, the building is a shining example of private philanthropy driving change at BGSU.
Enhanced Academic and Student Services Buildings
From technological improvements to classrooms and labs across campus, private support will allow BGSU to create learning spaces that support modern teaching methods and better align facilities to meet the needs of impactful and emerging programs.
New And Renovated Residential And Recreational Buildings
With more than 40 percent of students choosing to live on campus at BGSU, and student recreational facilities being cited as a primary factor in students' selection criteria, constant attention to residential and recreational facilities is necessary to recruit top students. Likewise, the new Greek Village supports the University's strong tradition of developing student leaders in fraternity and sorority life.
BGSU offers 18 varsity sports and is one of only 14 schools in the country with NCAA Division I football, hockey, and men's and women's basketball. To maintain the University's high standards of performance for student-athletes in competition and in classrooms, investments are needed to provide state-of-the-art facilities, inviting spectator amenities and support for student-athletes.
A culture of academic excellence is vital to Bowling Green State University's continued success. Currently, 29 programs hold the highest level of specialized accreditation from the appropriate accrediting bodies. But private support is necessary to strengthen academic programs across disciplines while providing resources in emerging fields.
A gift to name a college raises the prestige of Bowling Green State University, thereby attracting top faculty and students as well as research dollars and additional resources.
Academic departments with private support are able to provide a wealth of resources to foster faculty and student success.
Gifts to areas across campus such as Fraternity and Sorority Life, Career Services and the Center for Community and Civic Engagement provide students with robust opportunities for leadership and engagement.